The disposable hygiene market continues to demand enhanced fit and comfort for diapers, training pants, adult incontinence and feminine care products. This need has been met through the incorporation of elastic components such as stretch tabs, elastic waist bands, and larger area elastic ears/wings and side panels. Such elastic components are expensive, which limits the ability of diaper designers to make the next generational improvement in diaper design, or that of the all around stretch diaper or absorbent hygiene product. Current designs also require such elastic components to be attached, which adds to the manufacturing complexity and thus cost of the diaper line.
Elastic diaper chassis have been developed based on nonwoven or elastic films. An important consideration is the need to have elastic or extensible performance in only those regions that require their performance. Otherwise, expensive elastomeric products are used in areas where a much cheaper PP material could be used.
Some related disclosures include EP 1 712 351 A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,570, U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,616, U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,286, U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,973, U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,818, U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,565, U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,121, U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,774, U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,698, U.S. Pat. No. 7,026,404, U.S. Pat. No. 7,101,622, US 2003/0125696, US 2005/0106978, US 2006/0172647, U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,565, US 2005/0106978, US 2005/0130544, US 2006/0172647, US 2008/0182116, US 2008/0182940, US 2008/0182468, U.S. Ser. No. 11/655,399, and R. Zhao, “Melt Blowing Polyoxymethylene Copolymer” in INT'L NONWOVENS J., 19-24 (Summer 2005).
There is still a need, therefore, for a commercially feasible composite fabric made of both inelastic and elastic components and methods for making same.